De La Warr Pavilion (preliminary design)

Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, England
Built 1935-6
Erich Mendelsohn (1887-1953)

Drawing 1934
Pencil and red and blue crayon
120 x 175 mm
Given by Mrs Mendelsohn, 1955
RIBA: SD4/15(1)

Erich Mendelsohn's preliminary drawing expresses the essentials of the building in a few strong fluid lines. It shows a plan and perspectives, but not as executed. The final building, which he designed with his partner Serge Chermayeff, was smaller than originally planned.

These simple, highly expressive sketches made by Mendelsohn were then translated into a workable building in the design development process.